LAKE District planners have unexpectedly rejected a major scheme to build 27 new homes at the Windermere Marina Village.

On the casting vote of the chairman, John Hayton, the national park authority's development control committee turned it down because of its "warehouse" look, despite planning officers recommending approval.

The proposal was for three blocks of apartments to be built on an area of the site currently used for car parking, at the northern end of the marina, next to the Spinnaker Club. Alternative parking would be provided elsewhere within the site.

Planning officers said that the design of the larger building was "less conventional than the other two and has more the appearance of a converted quayside warehouse."

They said the architect had chosen this approach "in order to complement the substantial Spinnaker Club adjacent". But, given the self-contained nature of the development and the wide variety of architectural styles on site, they had no objection to that approach.

Recommending approval, chief planning officer David Buyall said that although the scheme was of "unconventional scale and ambitious design", because it was inward-looking it would only affect those already on site.

However, Ian Hall said: "It's bizarre that we should allow such modern design. It's atrocious."

Mr Buyall said it would not be acceptable anywhere else, but there was a range of buildings on site. "The marina is an alien feature already - it looks like the south of France, and it would not be appropriate elsewhere."

Voting on the recommendation to approve, members were divided 4-4, with three abstentions.

The chairman, John Hayton, then used his casting vote to reject the scheme. "I normally go with the planning officers," he said, "but I'm going against it because of the horrendous warehouse building. Nobody else could get this in the Lake District."

Robin Yates said it had been rejected "on design grounds", and Mr Buyall said he would "convey members' thoughts on design" to the applicants.